Jermain Defoe rolls back the years to show England what they have missed

Jermain Defoe celebrates his goal, his first for England for four years, scored midway through the first half in England’s 2-0 home win against Lithuania.Photograph: Sandra Mailer/Rex/Shutterstock

There was something very familiar about all this. The sight of a winger bustling to the byline and, even as he pulled the ball back across goal, being absolutely convinced the net would be billowing by the time his momentum had carried him on to the artificial turf ringing the pitch.

Jermain Defoe tends to offer that calibre of reassurance, forever loitering as he does in enemy territory spanning the width of the posts, the six-yard box only ever a dart away, defenders constantly on edge. Cue that trademark celebration, arms stretched wide, as the striker trotted towards the crowd. It was as if he had never been away.